Shirley Neff passed away quietly on November 6, 2025, after a long battle with vascular dementia. She was preceded in death by her husband John B. Neff and grandson Matthew Easter. She will be greatly missed by her children John (Elizabeth), Jennifer Easter (Dennis), and Emilie Steigerwald; her grandchildren Colin, Liam (Dallas), John (Nicole), Alex, Katie, Georgia, James, Jack, and great grandson Jett Easter as well as her sister, Vera Bruun and nephews Douglas, Steven, Michael and niece Krista.

Shirley was born to George and Nadia Hotra on May 10, 1936, in Torrington, Connecticut. She grew up in West Hartford and attended Wheelock College (now part of Boston University), graduating in 1958. While volunteering at Hartford Hospital, she met John Neff, whom she would marry in 1961. The couple moved to Philadelphia, where John began his career as a hospital executive. Shirley taught elementary school in Swarthmore until the birth of her son, John Jr., in 1962. A few years later, the family moved to Abington, PA, where John and Shirley lived until moving in 2019 to Normandy Farms Estates, a lifecare community in Blue Bell, PA.

Shirley had a strong sense of right and wrong, and no hesitance about expressing her well-formed views on issues affecting her family and neighborhood at public meetings or in direct interaction with school and community leaders. As her children grew older, Shirley returned to teaching at Springside School in Chestnut Hill. She also volunteered with several community and charitable organizations, and had a very deep and strong connection to Abington, her neighborhood, and its residents. One project of which she was very proud was undertaken with her neighbor and friend Carole McGlumphy—together they drove efforts to preserve a historic property in Abington through creation of what is now Tyson Green Park.

Shirley loved her house on Wheatsheaf Lane, whether spending time outside gardening and chatting with neighbors as they walked by, or inside in the kitchen turning out innumerable baked goods. Friends and family will remember pumpkin bread, brownies, apple crisp, pound cake, cookie bars, and especially the annual plates of Christmas cookies of all types that were carefully packaged and delivered to many homes for many years with the help of her husband. When her children were young, Shirley spent summers with them, her parents, and Vera's family at their family cottage on Long Meadow Pond in Bethlehem, CT. She formed close friendships with several other mothers and families, and looked forward to going to tag sales on Saturdays to add to her collection of antiques. In her later years, Shirley enjoyed traveling to many places in Europe with a group of women friends. She and John were also able to take trips together, including to the UK, Nordic countries, Turkey, Israel, and Prague.

As grandchildren began to arrive, her teaching experience and love of children helped her create many special memories. There were always crayons, markers, watercolors, and Play Doh ready for action at the activity table in the basement. Visits and overnights at the house on Wheatsheaf Lane were always a great time filled with trips to playgrounds, museums, train rides to explore Philadelphia, shopping and errands, or just finding interesting things to do around the house and playing with the cats. Trips to Skytop each summer, holiday gatherings, or individual stays at "Gram's" were legendary with her grandchildren.

Never one to give up, Shirley will be remembered for her readiness to act and take on challenges in addition to her kindness and thoughtfulness. Services and interment will be private.